Chair



Sept. 4, 1935. v B. H. DRAKE CHAIR Filed Feb. 17, 1954 INVENTOR rake ATTO RN EY Patented Sept. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to chairs of what are generally known as the easy chair or high back type; my principal object being to provide a normally rigid chair of this character so constructed that a rocking or semi-reclining action may be selectively obtained by the occupant. My improved chair therefore has the advantages of the above different types of chair combined in a single unit.

A further object is to construct the chair so that when released to rock or tip back, the front edge of the seat will not be raised from the floor as is common in the case of rocking chairs, so that the feet of the occupant always rest comfortably on the floor with any position of the chair and the latter will not raise up under the knees as is otherwise the case and which detracts from a comfortable seating or reclining position.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of. parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved chair as at present constructed, shown in its normal rigid position.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the lower portion of the chair frame showing the control mechanism in its normal locked position.

35 Figure 3 is a similar view showing the tilted position of the chair and with the lock releasing rod set to prevent relocking of the mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing and particularly in the embodiment of the invention here shown, the main or seat cushion frame I of the chair is provided with a rigid upstanding back 2 and with. rigid depending front legs 3 which of course rest on the floor.

Disposed below the frame I is a sub-frame which includes arms 4 disposed below and in alinement with the sides of the frame I; said arms 4 being tied together at the rear end and having relatively short legs 5 depending from such end,

50 such legs having rollers Ii. These rollers may be in the front legs instead if desired. The arms and frame I are pivotally connected intermediate their ends by a cross rod 1 terminating in the arms and turnably projecting through bearing blocks 55 8 depending from the sides of the frame I. The

arms in front of the rod are normally and yieldably held against the under face of the frame I by suitable tension springs 9, preferably adjustable as to their tension as shown.

Secured to and extending transversely of the frame I in front of the pivot rod I is a bar It), while extending between and secured to the arms 4 below and spaced from said bar Ill is a similar bar ll. Secured to and projecting rearwardly from the bar I I is a bracket I2 on which is pivoted the lower end of a pair of links I3. A relatively short link I4 is disposed between and pivoted at its upper end to the upper end of the links I3 and at its lower end to a bracket I5 which projects rearwardly from the bar I0. This toggle link and bracket arrangement is arranged so that when the frame I and arms 4 are in close parallel relationship to each other, the links I3 are substantially vertical and the lower bracket mounted end of the link IQ is rearwardly of a dead center position relative to the ends of the links I3, as shown in Figure 2. When the toggle linkage is thus dis" posed they are in a locking position and it will therefore be seen that the bars III and II are positively held against separation, or in other words, are locked in a fixed position, making it impossible for any downward buckling movement between the seat and sub-frames to take place and thus preventing the seat frame I from tilting back about the rod 1.

It may here be noted that in order to permit of the downward tilting of the frame I relative to the sub-frame, the arms of the latter break sharply down from immediately back of the pivot rod l, as plainly shown in the drawing.

A manually and selectively operated release means for the toggle lock thus had is provided in the form of a push rod I6 extending lengthwise of the frame I from in front of the same and mounted for both longitudinal and rotative movement in connection with the front rail of the frame I and the bracket I5. The rod is normally held in a retracted position relative to the linkage by a suitable spring I'I, its rear end being above the pivotal connection of the link M with the bracket I5. When the rod is thus retracted its rear end is slightly forward of the locked position of the linkage so as not to interfere with the movement of the same to such position. When however the rod is pushed back the linkage is moved out of dead center position, permitting the occupant of the chair to tilt the same back, the linkage then of course opening up or unfolding with such tilting movement as shown in Figure 3.

Thistilting movement, as will be clear from Iii the drawing, takes place with the point of contact of the front legs and the floor as an axis, the rod 1 being both lowered and moved back with such movement. In other words the two frames when the locking means is released are free to pull downwardly relative to each other. The rollers 6 of course permit the necessary relative movement of the legs without the friction such as would tend to mar a floor or its covering. Also with such tilting movement it will be seen that the level of the top of the front legs and the front frame I and the seat cushion l8 thereon is not materially altered. The position of the lower limbs of the occupant relative to the floor is therefore not disturbed and there is no raising of the chair under the knees tending to lift the feet off the floor, as is the case with the ordinary rocking chair.

The occupant may maintain the chair in a fully tilted or semi-reclining position, or he may rock back and forth as he desires. Inasmuch as the spring ll acts to return the release rod IE to its normal position once the hand pressure thereon is removed, an extreme forward movement of the chair will cause the linkage to become automatically locked and thus prevent further tilting or rocking of the chair unless means is provided to prevent such relocking of the linkage.

I have therefore arranged selectively operable means to hold the rod in a release position and against the action of the spring. This means as shown comprises a sleeve 19 secured to the front rail of the frame I and through which the rod projects. This sleeve has a longitudinal slot 20 open at the rear end and in which a cross pin 2! in the rod normally moves. When however the rod is pressed rearwardly to a toggle releasing position, the pin 2| is clear of the sleeve slot and on turning the rod the pin will engage the end of the sleeve beyond the slot and cannot be retracted by the spring. The rear end of the rod is thus retained in such a position as to engage the link M before the latter reaches a dead center position and the toggle linkage is thus prevented from moving to a locking position and the occupant of the chair may rock back and forth indefinitely.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A chair including a seat frame having front legs rigid therewith, a sub-frame separate from said seat frame extending lengthwise of and under the same and having floor engaging elements at its back end, a pivot connection between the frames disposed so that the seat frame may tilt down to the back from a predetermined normal position about the point of engagement of the front legs with the floor as an axis, whereby the subframe will also be lowered and shifted back,

spring means between the frames yieldably resisting such movement, and releasable locking means to prevent such movement.

2. A chair including a seat frame having front legs only, a sub-frame having back legs only, means mounting said subframe on the seat frame 1 for relative downward buckling movement whereby the seat frame will be tilted down toward the back, releasable means between the frames to prevent such buckling of the frames, and spring means between the frames resisting a buckling thereof.

3. A chair including a seat frame having front legs only, a sub-frame engaging the floor at the back end only extending forwardly from said end lengthwise of and toward the front end of the seat frame, a pivot connection between the frames intermediate their ends, the frames back of the pivot being relatively arranged so that the seat frame may be tilted down from a normal position, spring means between the frames yieldably resisting such tilting movement, a toggle linkage between the frames in front of the pivot arranged to automatically assume locking position past dead center when the frames are in normal position, and manual means operable from outside the seat frame for breaking the locking position of said linkage.

4. A chair including a seat frame having front legs only, a sub-frame engaging the floor at the back end only extending lengthwise of and under the seat frame, a pivot connection between the frames intermediate their ends, the frames back of the pivot being relatively arranged so that the seat frame may be tilted down from a normal position, spring means between the frames yieldably resisting such tilting movement, a link pivoted at its lower end on the sub-frame in front of the pivot, another link pivoted at its upper end on the upper end of the first link and at its lower end on the seat frame, said links being arranged 4 relative to their pivots so that when the frames are in said normal position, the links occupy a past dead center position whereby they are locked against unfolding movement, and manual means mounted on the seat frame to initially shift the links to a position ahead of dead center.

5. A structure as in claim 4, in which said last named means comprises a push rod projecting back from in front of the seat frame to a termination in front of and in alinement with one of v BENJAMIN H. DRAKE. 

